THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN ALPHA-FETOPROTEIN AND BETA-HCG LEVELS PRIOR TO AND FOLLOWING CHORIONIC VILLUS SAMPLING IN CASES THAT SPONTANEOUSLY MISCARRIED

Maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and beta-human chorionic gonado tropin (beta hCG) measurements taken prior to chorionic villus samplin g (CVS) in 21 patients who subsequently miscarried were compared with measurements in a control group of 113 patients with uneventful pregna ncies. Patients with AFP levels of 10 iu/ml or more prior to the CVS h ad a 4.3 times greater risk of miscarriage (95 per cent confidence int erval 1.3-13.6). AFP levels obtained 1 week after the CVS in the 13 pa tients with late miscarriages were higher than in the control group (P =0.06). Patients miscarrying had a greater rise in AFP (P=0.06) and a greater fall in beta hCG levels (P=0.04) following the CVS procedure, compared with the control subjects. Each 10-unit change in the differe nce between AFP or beta hCG levels prior to and 1 week following the C VS was associated with a significantly increased risk for late miscarr iage. Elevated maternal serum AFP levels early in pregnancy and change s in AFP and beta hCG levels following CVS may predict an increased ri sk for subsequent miscarriage.